Some implementations provide a semiconductor device that includes a die, an under bump metallization (UBM) structure coupled to the die, and a barrier layer. The UBM structure has a first oxide property. The barrier layer has a second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from a flux material than the first oxide property of the UBM structure. The barrier layer includes a top portion, a bottom portion and a side portion. The top portion is coupled to the UBM structure, and the side portion is substantially oxidized.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A semiconductor device comprising: a die; an under bump metallization (UBM) structure coupled to the die, the UBM structure having a first oxide property; and a barrier layer having a second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from a flux material than the first oxide property of the UBM structure, the barrier layer comprising a top portion, a bottom portion and a side portion, the top portion coupled to the UBM structure, the side portion being substantially oxidized.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer having the second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from the flux material than the first oxide of the UBM structure and is configured to prevent a solder from spreading to a side of the UBM structure during an assembly process of the die to a substrate.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer having the second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from the flux material than the first oxide of the UBM structure and is configured to prevent joint starvation between a solder and a trace during an assembly process of the die to a substrate.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the first oxide property defines the oxide stability of the UBM structure, the second oxide property having a lower oxide stability than the first oxide property.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the UBM structure is a copper pillar.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is a nickel barrier layer.
7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising: a solder coupled to the barrier layer; and a trace coupled to the solder, the trace having a first wettable portion and a second oxidized portion, the first wettable portion being the first portion of the trace that the solder can wet onto, the second oxidized portion being coated with an oxide that is configured to prevent the solder from wetting to the second portion of the trace.
8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor device is incorporated into at least one of a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a mobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer, and/or a laptop computer.
9. A semiconductor device comprising: a die; a first interconnect means coupled to the die, the first interconnect means having a first oxide property; and a second interconnect means having a second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from a flux material than the first oxide property of the first interconnect means, the second interconnect means comprising a top portion, a bottom portion and a side portion, the top portion coupled to the first interconnect means, the side portion being substantially oxidized.
10. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein the second interconnect means having the second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from the flux material than the first oxide of the first interconnect means and is configured to prevent a solder from spreading to a side of the first interconnect means during an assembly process of the die to a substrate.
11. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein the second interconnect means having the second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from the flux material than the first oxide of the first interconnect means and is configured to prevent joint starvation between a solder and a trace during an assembly process of the die to a substrate.
12. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein the first oxide property defines the oxide stability of the first interconnect means, the second oxide property having a lower oxide stability than the first oxide property.
13. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein the first interconnect means is a copper pillar.
14. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein the second interconnect means is a nickel barrier layer.
15. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , further comprising: a solder coupled to the second interconnect means; and a third interconnect means coupled to the solder, the third interconnect means having a first wettable portion and a second oxidized portion, the first wettable portion being the first portion of the third interconnect means that the solder can wet onto, the second oxidized portion being coated with an oxide that is configured to prevent the solder from wetting to the second portion of the third interconnect means.
16. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein the semiconductor device is incorporated into at least one of a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a mobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer, and/or a laptop computer.
17. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a die; providing an under bump metallization (UBM) structure coupled to the die, the UBM structure having a first oxide property; and providing a barrier layer coupled to the UBM structure, the barrier layer having a second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from a flux material than the first oxide property of the UBM structure, the barrier layer comprising a top portion, a bottom portion and a side portion, the top portion coupled to the UBM structure, the side portion being substantially oxidized.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the barrier layer having the second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from the flux material than the first oxide of the UBM structure and is configured to prevent a solder from spreading to a side of the UBM structure during an assembly process of the die to a substrate.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the barrier layer having the second oxide property that is more resistant to oxide removal from the flux material than the first oxide of the UBM structure and configured to prevent joint starvation between a solder and a trace during an assembly process of the die to a substrate.
20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: providing a solder coupled to the barrier layer; and providing a trace coupled to the solder, the trace having a first wettable portion and a second oxidized portion, the first wettable portion being the first portion of the trace that the solder can wet onto, the second oxidized portion being coated with an oxide that is configured to prevent the solder from wetting to the second portion of the trace.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
February 20, 2013
August 12, 2014
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